A Few Words From Within The Pines: Carnival jewelry

Hello again and welcome to the reveal for Lisa Lodge's Summer Carnival Blog Hop! Lisa is a wonderful jewelry artist over at A Grateful Artist. She hosts lots of Blog Hops throughout the year and I am always very excited to participate. So, several months ago when she announced the Summer Carnival I had to jump right in!

In this hop, Lisa told us that we would receive a kit full of wonderful beads that would include crystals and cultured sea glass and as she always does, her kit was overflowing with goodies; take a peek!

This is just a sample of some of the pretties I received. There were cultured sea glass beads in both a royal blue and more aqua blue color. There are flat and oval sea glass pieces as well. Also, in the kit were several types of crystals. Rondelles in both clear and a most fantastic aqua color. Rounding out the collection are larger clear oval crystals and some great metal spacer beads.

Now, you would think with all these wonderful beads I could just jump right in and design, right? Well yes, tons of ideas presented themselves when I sat at my workspace and focused on these beads. However, I really struggled on the Carnival theme. All the cultured sea glass and beautiful aqua beads just fed into my love of the sea and I kept tracking that way in my designs. So, I decided to step away from my beads and start focusing on the theme. What does a carnival mean? Rides? Cotton candy? All the tinny music? Those games you never win?

Finally, I started to focus on Lisa's inspiration photo for the hop. The Ferris Wheel, specifically. I am afraid of heights and have only been on kiddie Ferris Wheels, and even then I got those butterflies in my tummy. But there is one Ferris Wheel I really would ride on if I got the chance. Some day, no matter what, I will get to England...and when I do, I want to ride the London Eye. Can you imagine the views? That is if I keep my eyes open of course! So, I kindly asked a friend for an inspiration photo and my design just came to life!

photo credit D.F.

While I know that isn't specifically a carnival, I do think the blue and clear crystals really worked well with the sky and the sea glass is a nice stand in for the Thames. Here is how my inspiration photo looks as a necklace.

Circle of Dreams

I really wanted to carry the circle of the Ferris Wheel into this necklace. It was important to me that it be distinct and also allow for me to add the sea glass components. The necklace is designed so that the round wheel portion is worn where a broach would be worn.

From the kit, I used the blue and clear crystals to make the wheel design. From my own stash, I added these great wire beads. They remind me of the little cars you sit in when going around in a Ferris Wheel. The rest of the lower part of the necklace is made using the same blue and clear crystal rondelles, some metal spacers from my stash that I feel give the piece a very vintage feel. Finally, I added three of the aqua colored sea glass pieces. Little nods to the river flowing by past the London Eye. The chain, also from my personal stash, completes the circle theme. There is no clasp, because at 30 inches long, this necklace is easy to put on over your head.

If you know me, you know I can't design a necklace and not include earrings! So, here are a beautiful pair that focus on the beads used in the wheel portion of my necklace.

This time, I used the aqua crystals, the silver spacer beads that Lisa provided and added some small Swarovski crystal bicones and those great metal beads. There is actually a glass bead inside the wire and they add extra sparkle.

Wow what a hop! It arrived with a bag full of great goodies that I am still in love with and can't wait to design more pieces with the leftovers! I really enjoyed focusing on conceptual aspects of art and taking those concepts and ideas and bringing them into a beautiful statement piece. Making pieces like this for challenges like Lisa's is what makes me feel like a real artist. It makes my creative spirit sore!

Thank you again to Lisa for hosting us and since this is a blog hop, there are lots of wonderful other artists to visit and see what they created. Please spend some time visiting them from the links below. Thank you for stopping by!!!

Your hostess: Lisa Lodge, A Grateful Artist

Kim Dworak, Cianci Blue

Marybeth Rich, A Few Words from within the Pines (you are here)

Karin Grosset Grange, Ginkgo et Coquelicot

Veralynne Malone, Designed by Vera

Ann Schroeder, Bead Love

Kathleen Breeding, 99 Bottles of Beads on the Wall

Jo-Ann Woolverton, It's a Beadiful Creation

Kathy Zeigler Lindemer, Bay Moon Design

Heather Richter, Desert Jewelry Designs

Carolyn Lawson, Carolyn's Creations

Candida Elkins Castleberry, Spun Sugar Beadworks